Michele was kind and good, gentle, sharply funny, honest, fiercely loyal and wise.
Born to Joanne Borgkvist and Paul Truman Parker in Exeter, New Hampshire, she attended Exeter schools and graduated Exeter High School in 1984. Coping with the painful separation of her parents and needing a friend she could always talk to, she committed her life to Christ at 10 years old in the basement of Faith Community Church.
In the fall of 1982, at age 16, Michele met the love of her life, Rafe Henry Blood Jr., at a gas station in Exeter. She was wearing a blue parka. On their first date they picked out the house they wanted for their future family at a Home Show in the local mall. Michele invited Rafe to her church’s youth group while dating and despite being freaked out, Rafe proved he’d follow her anywhere.
On October 10, 1987, they married and built and moved into that home they picked. Michele brought three children home to that house; Jessica Emily in 1989, Rafe Parker in 1992, and Benjamin Stephen in 1998. She labored tirelessly in every manner to give them a perfect childhood. And she succeeded.
While in New Hampshire, she worked as a banker and a school bus driver. She started an after school program for local children, was room mother in each of her children’s classrooms, and served her local church.
In 1995, in a miraculous answer to Michele’s longtime prayer, Rafe Henry became a Christian. The two ministered in their local community for two years before feeling the call of God to world missions in 1997, the fulfillment of Michele’s lifelong dream. They stepped out of their small New Hampshire community and moved to Texas to train with Youth With a Mission (YWAM).
Despite a few seasons of return to New Hampshire, Michele and her family moved permanently to Colorado to serve in YWAM full time in 2005. Michele fulfilled several roles there. Her favorite was leading Crossroads DTS, a training school designed to see families released into world missions. In 2015, she helped pioneer an online donor services program for the campus which became her daily ministry until the day she died. Michele loved answering calls from Donors and ministered to each caller. She also loved traveling to many other YWAM campuses to train their staff with the online system.
The overarching theme of Michele’s life was to turn her caring hands outward, sharing her unique posture of motherhood with those of any age needing it. She loved bringing people into her family and championing them into their calling. Many marriages are intact because of her counsel and intercession. Michele poured herself out for every community in which she lived, and even more in which she didn’t. She ministered in China, Thailand, India, Azerbaijan, served the First Nations people of Canada as well as Indigenous populations in the U.S.
She loved movies and TV, playing board games, ATVing in the woods, camping. She loved her children and grandchildren with every fiber of her being. She always preached that family is the first ministry. She loved anything she could do with her whole family in tote (famously bringing her toddler son with her on her school bus routes). But what overshadows all this was her love and trust in Jesus. She spent quiet time with Him daily and was a conduit of His love to multitudes even to her last breath. She changed everyone she met with the sermon she preached with her words, and more importantly, her incredible life.
Michele is preceded in death by her father Paul Truman Parker and her Step-Father, Richard Isom.
Michele is survived by her loving husband Rafe Henry Blood Jr.; her children Jessica Emily Puranaputra (husband, Nathan Mitch Puranaputra), Rafe Parker, and Benjamin Stephen Blood; her grandchildren Emma James, Natalie Rey, and Jackson Timothy Puranaputra; mother, Joanne Isom; brothers Michael Parker (wife Melissa, daughter Serenity), Stephen Parker, Matthew Parker (wife Hannah, children Claire and Truman) and the multitudes of children, women and men, mourners, seekers, and neighbors whose hearts were touched and lives were changed by even her brief presence in their life.
A memorial service will be held on October 10, 2022, at 10:00AM MST at the World Prayer Center Chapel, 11005 Voyager Parkway, Colorado Springs, CO 80921. A live stream option for remote family and friends will be available at the link below. Light refreshments will follow the service.
Memorial Service Live Stream: https://boxcast.tv/view/michele-blood-memorial-service—october-10-2022-ktrzqvl1j97nftek400j
In lieu of flowers, a Michele Blood Memorial Fund has been established at the following link to help fulfill Michele’s vision to see families released into world missions.
Donate:
https://donate.ywamcos.org/partners
(under ‘Designated for,’ please select ‘Michele Blood Scholarship Fund)
Dennise L Wilson
9 Oct 2022I am so sorry to hear about Michelle’s passing. I remember Michelle as such a “light” in all that she did. She was so positive when I met her–Rafe and Michelle came to meet Ben’s new 4th grade teacher. Little did I know, that the Blood family would have a great impact on my family’s life. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers. My heart is aching for you!
Kerrin
26 Oct 2022Dear Rafe and family,
Darryl and I are dumbfounded and truly heartbroken with sadness at your loss and the hole left in our family.
I have tried to find the right words to surround you with love…..yet somehow, none seem adequate enough. Michele was the most caring, funny, cool sweet woman, mother, cousin and friend and I am truly blessed to have been in her presence both during our childhood and later in life as we became adults. We treasured every moment of our visits with you both in Bear River, New Hamphire and in Nova Scotia when our paths were lucky enough to cross during vacations and visits home. You are in our thoughts and prayers every day……my wish is that you feel our loving arms around you as we grieve with you in this tremendous loss. Michele leaves a legacy like no other and we know she is smiling down on us from the comforting arms of our Lord.
All our Love Rafe to you, Jess, Rafie, Benny and family.
Kerrin and Darryl